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“Long after research contradicts common medical practices, patients continue to demand them and physicians continue to deliver. The result is an epidemic of unnecessary and unhelpful treatments.” David Epstein and Propublica, When Evidence Says No, but Doctors Say Yes, The Atlantic Every year, countless new medical treatments are tested, approved, lauded, and implemented throughout the country. But what happens when those treatments are later found to be ineffective? In an article for The Atlantic, David Epstein finds that many remain in use, despite widespread evidence that they don’t work.Read More

“Overuse and underuse are now a central part of the conversation about fixing health care. Ten years ago, if you brought it up, people looked at you funny. Today, it’s widely acknowledged that the status quo isn’t cutting it anymore.” — Adam Elshaug, Ph.D., " Combating Overuse and Underuse in Health Care", The Commonwealth Fund What were once on the fringes of conversation in the healthcare industry are now gaining momentum as important topics: overuse and underuse. Why? Because they represent significant opportunities for a positive paradigm shift in healthcare.Read More

As we savor the last few moments of summer, it’s time to start thinking about the crisp autumn days to come. Fall is traditionally a time of preparation. So, as farmers gather up the last of their harvest and squirrels snatch up as many acorns as possible, it’s a great time for us to prepare for cooler months and shorter days. From going back to school to getting ready for cold and flu season, maintain a healthy lifestyle for you and your family with these tips from one of Vera’s practitioners, Jennifer McGrath. Q: What recommendations do you have for families preparing for fall and the cold and flu season? Jennifer: Flu vaccinations would be number one. Especially with people going back to school, getting their vaccinations is always important so they can actually attend school.Read More

“With an ongoing physician shortage, primary care practices are increasingly turning to nurse practitioners and other interdisciplinary provider scenarios to fill the care delivery void.” — Meg Bryant, Nurse Practitioners Increasingly Fill Gap in Primary Care Delivery, Study Finds, HealthCareDrive.com By 2030, there could be a shortage of up to 105,000 providers, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Nearly half of that shortage will affect primary care practices, which is leading many clinics to find new ways to bridge the gap and still deliver great patient experiences. Their solution? More reliance on nurse practitioners and other interdisciplinary providers, like physician assistants.Read More

Launching a new on-site clinic is a paradigm shift for most organizations. They're no longer shifting costs but rather making a huge investment in healthcare. This shift naturally inspires anxiety. HR leaders want to make sure that the change is right for both their organization and their employees.Read More

What would it look like if we could just “fix” the current healthcare system? In its recent Health Tech podcast, GeekWire explores that very question, with insights from Vera Whole Health President and CEO, Ryan Schmid.Read More

“Despite the high importance currently placed on chronic disease management and patient wellness, most primary care providers say they don’t have enough time to address these issues with their older populations.” — Sara Heath, Primary Care Time Constraints Limit Chronic Disease Management, PatientEngagementHit.com The aging baby boomer population is exposing traditional primary care service models. Providers simply don’t have the time and resources to treat complex health issues, especially for patients with multiple chronic diseases. In a recent article from Patient Engagement HIT, writer Sara Heath discusses a survey of providers and Medicare patients that highlights many of these issues. Here’s what they found.Read More

Evaluating the responses to a Request for Proposal (RFP) is standard procedure for any organization looking to make an informed decision about their healthcare vendor. Responses to RFPs are an excellent opportunity to compare and contrast the benefits and services of varying providers, but knowing good answers from bad ones is difficult if you don't have a solid point of reference. Good responses should reflect actual outcomes and provide real-world examples. To get an idea of what to look for, here's a sneak peek of our response approach to some of the most standard RFP questions and prompts.Read More

“To build an American health-care system that delivers better care at a lower cost, primary care must become a national health policy priority.” — John Rother, President and CEO of the National Coalition on Health Care In a recent article for The Hill, John Rother discussed the need for several key healthcare policy reforms advocated by the National Coalition on Health Care. His recommendations highlight ways to improve on care delivery and provider payment models. Central to his argument for reform is an increased focus on primary care. Here’s why.Read More

One of the most effective ways for employees to become engaged patients and improve their health is also one of the simplest: establishing care. Establishing care happens when a patient chooses a single provider to be their primary source of medical care. This simple act can have a profound impact on engagement and overall health. Here’s why.Read More

Investing in primary care improves health outcomes and lowers costs. But, there’s a catch. It has to be the right primary care. Too many healthcare providers get it wrong for many of the same reasons. Want to find out how they do it? Here’s our go-to guide for making primary care fail.Read More